The invention relates to a wall module and a method for mounting such wall modules. Specifically, the invention relates to a wall module in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, having a first longitudinal connecting portion spaced from and parallel to a complementary second connecting portion, an intermediate portion connecting the two connecting portions to each other, the first and the second connecting portions being connecteable to a second and a first connecting portion, respectively, of other wall modules for forming a wall assembly comprised by a plurality of joined wall modules, each wall module having a constant cross section. The invention also relates to a method for mounting such wall modules. In particular the wall module and the method of the invention are intended to be used in lifts.
In the past, bent and painted steel profiles were used, which were joined, e.g. for forming a wall in a lift (elevator) cage. Thereby the manufacture of the steel profiles required many working moments, such as bending of edges and possibly also of the intermediate portion for dishing the same for providing rigidity and stability of the steel profile, boring for bolts, which are used when joining the steel profiles, and finally surface treatment, generally painting.
When joining the steel profiles, these are placed side by side, bolts then being inserted into bores made for this purpose in the profiles, whereupon nuts are threaded on the bolts for forming uniting bolt joints.
As known, the mounting of bolt joints is rather time-consuming and since the assembly of the profiles requires quite a number of such joints to be mounted in a satisfying manner, it should be realised that this work is a costly step in the manufacture of the lift cage. In spite of this, the joints do not function well. The junctions will often be untight and this in combination with the sheet material will result in a rather high noise level. When a joint filler is used in an attempt to improve the sealing and the noise absorption capacity, it will be found very difficult to apply and keep the filler in place, since this tends to fall out, generating gaps in the junctions.
A further important disadvantage in the use of bent and painted steel profiles is that they require a considerable maintenance, in particular in connection with lifts to be used in an outdoor environment, since the slightest scratch in the protecting paint layer immediately results in the start of a corrosive attack, which had to be stopped, e.g. by blasting/grinding and re-paint.
In view of this, the object of the invention is to provide a wall module and a method by means of which the aforementioned disadvantages are avoided, i.e. in other terms to provide a wall module and a method of assembly, which require significantly less numerous bolt joints than before, thereby allowing much quicker mounting than before, neither require bending nor painting steps, and which have improved noise performances and allow a joint filler to be applied and retained without falling out during mounting.
This object is solved by the features of the wall module and the method, respectively, of the invention, defined in the characterizing parts of claims 1 and 12, respectively.
Preferably, as defined in one of the subclaims, the wall module is an extruded aluminum profile, which provides for a simplified manufacture and a consummate rust protection.